Officials anticipate the awards will total more than $51,000 when final scholarship funds are set, according to David A NewMyer, chair of the Department of Aviation Management and Flight. The total marks a record amount in scholarship funds to students in one year, he said.

Students’ academic achievements serve as the focal point at the annual banquet. Students received a total of 29 scholarships at the Oct. 28 "Aviation in the Future" event at the Student Center.

Greg M. Cayon, the director of aviation and business travel for the Kohler Co., and a former pilot for Air Force One, was the keynote speaker. More than 300 aviation students, faculty, and alumni attended the banquet, where Cayon spoke of his work as presidential pilot.

The Aviation Management Society, a registered student organization, sponsors the banquet. Some of the scholarships honor SIU Carbondale graduates and all support students in the aviation management, aviation flight, and aviation technologies programs. One of the very special aspects of the recognition that students receive at the banquet is that most of the scholarship sponsors actually present each of the scholarships in person to the student recipients.

The support students receive from scholarships is vital to the aviation program.

“It’s another reason for students to come to SIU Carbondale,” NewMyer said. “We are able to come up with funds for students scholarships and it’s a testimony to the quality of the programs and testimony to what the Aviation Management Society does every year at the banquet.”

The aviation programs are part of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Scholarship winners by hometown, year in school, scholarship and award amount where available, are:

SIU Carbondale aviation scholarship recipients -- Three students in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s nationally recognized aviation program received Boeing Aviation Management & Flight Scholarships at the annual fall aviation banquet. Andrew R. Wright, left, a senior in aviation management from Rockford, Sierra D. Makepeace, second from right, a senior in aviation management, aviation flight, and aviation technologies from Los Angeles, and William N. Brophy, right, a senior in aviation technologies from Cissna Park, earned scholarships. With the three students is Thim Theil, who is with Boeing. (Photo by Steve Buhman)Download Photo Here

SIU Carbondale aviation scholarship recipient -- Taylor M. Breum, second from left, a junior in aviation management and flight from Lake Villa, accepts the James and Helen Newby Aviation Scholarship at the annual fall aviation banquet. With Breum, from left to right, are Ed Newby, Helen Newby and Doris Newby. Breum also received the Steven Staples Memorial Aviation Scholarship. (Photo by Steve Buhman)Download Photo Here

SIUC aviation scholarship recipient -- Kendall A. Lane, right, a junior in aviation management and aviation flight from Roselle, receives the William R. Norwood Aviation Scholarship an the annual aviation banquet. With Lane is Clarence Copping, a captain with United Airlines and a graduate of the University’s aviation program. Norwood is a member of the SIUC ROTC Hall of Fame and earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from SIUC, served in the U.S. Air Force, and had a 31-year career with United Airlines beginning in 1965 -- becoming the company's first African-American pilot and the first to achieve the rank of captain. Lane also received a Michael R. Peters-AviationInterviews.com Scholarship. (Photo by Steve Buhman)Download Photo Here

SIU Carbondale aviation scholarship recipient -- Dora-Anne A. Asinjo, a doctoral student in education, accepts the Joseph A. Messina II Aviation Explorers Scholarship at the annual aviation fall banquet. With Asinjo are Kerry Johnson, left, and Clarence Copping, right, both captains with United Airlines and graduates of the University’s aviation program. Asinjo, who is from Nairobi, Kenya, earned both her master’s degree in public administration in aviation and her aviation management degree from SIU Carbondale. (Photo by Steve Buhman)Download Photo Here